The season is over for the Vikings, but the team can hold its head high. Winning 10 games and getting to the playoffs was beyond imagination. Not only did the Vikings do that, but they impressed me with the arc of their season. This is a team on the rise.

When the Vikings started out so strong this year, it was exciting. Adrian Peterson came back healthy, even if he wasn't dominant. Percy Harvin was off to a phenomenal start. Christian Ponder was playing well. The big win over San Francisco in Week 3 proved the team was for real. But things aren't always that easy.

Over a five-game stretch, the Vikings went 1-4. The most important thing is how a team responds to adversity, and the Vikings were struggling. Ponder was struggling. Harvin was injured. And still to come was a brutal schedule. The Vikings reached the point where some teams pack it in.

But responding to that adversity by digging deep and pushing harder is the mark of a team doing things the right way. It's the sign of strong leadership, and of players who have a real drive to compete. The Vikings really impressed me winning their final four games against tough opponents. Not only did they end the season with 10 wins and a playoff appearance, they had the right response when they hit a rough patch and faced a fork in the road.

The Vikings' defense really impressed me down the stretch. And of course, there is Adrian Peterson. Really, what else can you say about him? I hear he's shooting for 2,500 yards next year.

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Eric Dickerson's record is 2,105. And you know what? I will not bet against him!

But today's NFL is a quarterback-driven league. If you don't have a quality quarterback, you have no chance. The injury to Christian Ponder that kept him out of Saturday's game at Lambeau Field was devastating. I know Ponder struggled at times this year, but he really impressed me the final few weeks of the season. The team needed him to step up, and he did. I still believe he can become the guy we all want him to be. He's not there yet, but he has the physical tools and has shown he has the drive to work hard and get better.

But there's one more thing. Ponder will not become the guy we want him to be if he doesn't have more weapons around him. Peterson is obviously great, but once Harvin's season ended, there was no one to throw the ball to. Even when Harvin is healthy, Ponder needs additional options. Fortunately, you can find receivers, and you don't even have to go high in the first round of the draft to find them. Many of the best receivers in the league are second-day draft picks. Aaron Rodgers is a great quarterback for Green Bay, but he benefits by having a ton of great receivers to throw to -- none of whom is a first-round draft pick. The Vikings can find similar weapons. It just needs to be a priority.

I also believe teams should draft a quarterback every year. Not a high pick, mind you, but a guy in the middle rounds who has a chance to make it. If anything happens to Ponder, the Vikings need to have a guy behind him that gives them a chance to win. Look at what the Redskins did this year. Not only did they take Robert Griffin III in the first round, but they also went and grabbed Kirk Cousins in the fourth. When Griffin was injured a few weeks ago, Cousins gave them hope and won a couple games. There are players like him available in the draft every year. You need somebody waiting in the wings to give your team hope and confidence.

Ending the season with a loss to the Packers in the playoffs is disappointing, but the season was most definitely not a disappointment. It was a great success, and I think it can be a real building block for future years. The team must continue to add players and keep building this winning culture around strong leadership. The Vikings are doing things the right way, and I can't wait to see what the future brings.

Fran Tarkenton is Minnesota Vikings analyst for TwinCities.com and the Pioneer Press. He is a former Vikings quarterback and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He also is an advocate for small businesses and the founder of OneMoreCustomer.com.